Individuals w/Disabilities
Working with individuals who display IDD
Many therapists take a cognitive behavioral approach to counseling and apply it to the IDD individuals, but the disability that impacts the IDD individual is at times a cognitive impairment which prevents the individuals from benefiting from this kind of therapy. With restrictions of practitioners who are not familiar with the IDD needs, and feel inadequately prepared to meet their needs, feel that this is outside of their range of a comfort zone, and are not qualified to provide services to that population, and refer them out to other practitioners.
Despite the challenges that the individuals who display intellectual and developmental disabilities are facing, there are counselors who do meet their needs and teach them new skills. If the individuals are residing in group homes, new skills can also be taught to the staff members to help the individual draw from their new tool belt and even skills to be proactive instead of reactive to these individuals.
When the individual learns replacement behaviors through individual therapy, coaching when they are in crisis, skills training, shaping the environment, looking at antecedents, and stressors that may lead to an emotional outburst.
Caregivers and Stress
Despite the challenges that the individuals who display intellectual and developmental disabilities are facing, there are counselors who do meet their needs and teach them new skills. If the individuals are residing in group homes, new skills can also be taught to the staff members to help the individual draw from their new tool belt and even skills to be proactive instead of reactive to these individuals.
If the individual is living at home with their parents serving as the caregivers, the task may at times overwhelming but again, new skills can be taught to the caregiver to help them in being proactive when interacting with the individuals who display the intellectual and developmental disability.
What kind of therapy works well with those of IDD?
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DPT), works well with those who exhibit IDD. It works well in helping individuals who need to change patterns of behavior. It helps in increasing individual’s cognitive and emotional self-regulation in identifying triggers that contribute to their internal stressors. It balances the therapeutic support with acceptance, (accepting the client for who he is), introducing cognitive/behavioral change strategies.
DPT does understand that these individuals who display destructive behaviors have a difficult time in controlling their emotions and gaining self-regulation. These difficulties are a combination of their make up as well as their past experiences. Their frustration is displayed in maladaptive behaviors that they have learned, and need to find new tools to manage extreme emotion.